Springerle are tiny works of artSpringerle can add some variety and style to your holiday cookie offerings this year. The classic European confections are made with anise oil and cut out using intricate molds depicting flora and fauna. You can also use the molds to form other holiday treats such as gingerbread. The Wall Street Journal
(12/10)

Twin chefs talk turkey and gooseDespite having lived in different countries for almost 20 years, chefs and twin brothers Tom and Robert Aikens still agree on holiday traditions when it comes to the menu. Rob, owner of Philadelphia's Dandelion Pub, names turkey and mulled wine as two holiday staples. Tom, owner of two eponymous eateries in their native London, agrees, saying, "90% of the population will have turkey nowadays." The Wall Street Journal
(12/10)

Pasture-raised beef is becoming scarce in ArgentinaArgentina's supply of grass-fed beef is dwindling, much to the dismay of chefs who had come to count on its superior flavor. "When I first came to Argentina, I said, 'This is what beef is supposed to taste like!' Now, it's just steak," said Dan Perlman, an American chef and writer living in Buenos Aires. Rising grain prices have cut down on cattle herding, which is less lucrative than farming corn or soybeans. National Public Radio/The Salt blog
(12/8)

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The Healthy Kitchen

Chefs encourage children to eat healthyChefs Michael Selig and Stephen Burrow of Arkansas' Forty Two are heading back to school to teach students about healthy eating. The effort was inspired by a successful summer program at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, which houses Forty Two. "If we change just one or two kids from drinking so much soda or picking up carrots instead of chips, we've done something good," Selig said. Reuters
(12/10)

Restaurants seek ways to quietly cut back on saltRestaurants are quietly working to use less salt in their recipes. Some, including Moe's Southwest Grill, have begun using salt substitutes, but some chefs say simply cutting sodium is the answer. "If you cut salt by 20 percent, you will be challenged to find any difference in flavor," says Ron DeSantis, director of CIA Consulting. QSR Magazine
(12/2011)

Beverage manufacturers are busy coming up with new items and trying to get ahead of what they see as trends for the coming year. Get the inside scoop.

Beverage News

Chains pour innovation into specialty beveragesMany scoffed when McDonald's debuted its McCafe beverage concept two years ago, but the coffee drinks took off and sparked an industrywide beverage innovation trend that now includes smoothies, frozen drinks and flavored teas. Mont Blanc Gourmet's Michael Szyliowicz offers insight into the trend and predictions for 2012. FastCasual.com
(12/9)

Casual chains kept price increases to a minimumCasual restaurant chains raised prices slightly this year, despite chains' early predictions that they would need to raise prices significantly to make up for higher commodity costs. Menu prices rose only 1.2% this year over last, according to a survey by Intellaprice. Nation's Restaurant News (free registration)
(12/9)

CIA and UC Davis host groundbreaking olive oil seminarMuch of what is sold in the U.S. as "extra-virgin olive oil" is actually a lower grade -- and in some cases, not even olive oil. On Jan. 12, The Culinary Institute of America and the UC Davis Olive Center are teaming up to educate retail, foodservice, production and distribution professionals on state-of-the-art understanding of what constitutes quality in the olive oil sector. The one-day seminar will take place at the CIA's Napa Valley campus in St. Helena, Calif. See the full schedule and reserve your seat today!